Album Details

• Artist: Primordial
• Album: To The Nameless Dead
• Label: Metal Blade`
• Year of Release: 2007
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2008-03-04

I am the anti-hype. I follow it, knowing full well to expect the least from what more people are calling the best. It's not that I distrust people's opinions; I'm aware that hype is contagious, and can often make a decent sound sound remarkably better, depending on who's doing the listening. All the hype surrounding Irish metallers Primordial may be focused on metalhead websites mostly, but the hype is there and continues to grow. "To The Nameless Dead" was dropped last year, and the praise hasn't let up since. They've definitely found themselves in my scope of great, and refreshing acts in their ever-growing genre.

What sets them apart from the pack seems to be their old-school mentality. These songs are big, full of riffs both punchy and potent, and the vocals soar with the grace of a Bruce Dickinson, only with more roughness around the edges more fit for their political lyrics. Most songs are longer than 5 minutes, a few reaching past 8, and they fill their space well enough. I really love the opener "Empire Falls" and it's epic nature. "As Rome Burns" is reminiscent of some of Maiden's longer numbers, well-planned and executed. They've also got the whole Irish thing going for them; being the only metal band from Ireland I think I've ever heard, they also get to be the best Irish metal band I've ever heard. 

"To The Nameless Dead" is a high-impact classic/doom metal album, inspired by Sabbath, Maiden, and plenty of the more doomier megabands like Candlemass and Funeral. The vocals are a pleasant mix of rage and melody, violence and peace. Solid, solid, solid. Recommended to fans of blue-collar metal the way it was once done, but also those unafraid of the modern flair of solid production and thicker, more dense songwriting. One of last year's best metal records for sure.  

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